Pivotal guard for clock springs



F. WEHINGER;

Jan. 2,1923.

PIVOTAL GUARD FOR .Cmcx Smmcs.

Fujo SEPT. 29. 1932. 1

Patented Jan. 2, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK WEHINGER, OF WATERIBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WATERBURYCLOCK 00., OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

PIVOTAL GUARD FOR CLOCK SPRINGS.

Application filed September 29, 1922. Serial 1T0. 591,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WEHINGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in PivotalGuards for Clock Springs; and I do hereby declare the following, whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the charactersof reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, and which said drawings constitute part of thisapplication, and represent in- Fig. 1 a view in rear elevation of aclockmovement provided with my improved pivotal guard for clock springs.

Fig. 2 an edge View thereof.

Fig. 3 a broken perspective view of the rear movementlate thereof.

Fig. 4% a detac ed perspective view of the pivotal. guard.

My invention relates to an improvement in clock-movements, the objectbeing to provide a clock-movement with a simple, cheap, effective andconvenient spring guard.

WVith these ends in view, my invention consists in the combination withthe movement-plates of a clock, of a pivotal springguard mounted betweenthe same.

My invention further consists in the combination with themovement-plates of a clock, of a demountable spring-unit, and a pivotalspring-guard for the protection of the spring of such unit.

.My invention further consists in a pi\"-- otal guard for clock springs,having certain details of construction as will be hereinafter describedand pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I employ a substantiallysemicircular spring-guard 5 made of heavy spring meta-l, uniform inwidth throughout the main portion of its length, but having the rearedge of its lower end laterally extended to form an integralmounting-arm 6 terminating in a trunnion 7 complemented by a trunnion 8located upon the lower end of its forward edge, the said trunnionsrespectively entering bearing-holes 9 and 10 in the rear and frontmovement-plates 11 and 12, between which the guard is thus pivotallymounted. so as to be swung into its closed or guard position, as shownby full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and into an open or clearance position,as shown by broken lines in F1 1. At its opposite, or upper, end, theguar terminates in a forwardly-turned, integral, retaining-hook 13adapted to be hooked into an anchoring-slot 14 suitably positioned inthe front movement-plate 12, the spring of the guard, as a whole,permitting it to be sufficiently sprung for the entrance of the saidhook 13 into the slot 14 and its disengagement therefrom. When in itsclosed position, the guard forms an effective protection for thealarm-spring 15, though equally applicable for the protection of thetime-spring of the movement. As shown, the alarm-spring arbor 16 hasbearing in its rear end in 'a removable bridge 17 secured in place bytwo screws 18 entering suitable threaded screw-holes 19 in the rearmovement-plate 11, which is formed with a clearance-notch 20, whichpermits the hearing 21 at the forward end of the arbor 16 to be insertedinto and removed from a bearing-hole 22 in the front movementplate 12 inthe usual manner. By swinging the guard 5 into its open position, thealarmspring 15 is rendered as accessible for any required attention asthough the guard were not present. If the alarm-spring unit isdemountable as a unit, as shown, the swinging of the guard into its openposition permits the alarm-spring unit to be mounted and demountedwithout disturbing the plates 11 and 12 by removing and re-attaohing thearbor-bridge 17 in the usual man ner. As shown, the alarnrspring unitcon sists of the spring 15, arbor 16, wheel 23 and ratchetwl1eel 24L,organized to be han dled as one piece. Although my improved spring-guardis shown herein as combined with a demountable alarm-spring unit, it. isapplicable for use in clocks in which the alarm-spring is not sodemount-able, and for the protection of time, as well as alarm springs.

I claim:

1. In a clock-movement, the combination with the movement-platesthereof, of a spring, and a spring-guard pivotally mounted between thesaid plates in position to guard the said spring.

2. In a clock-movement, the combination with the movement-platesthereof, of a spring-guard pi\*otally mounted between the said platesand formed at one end With mounting trunnions and at its opposite endwith an anchoring-hook.

3. In 21v clock-movement, the combination With the front and rearmovement-plates thereof, of a delnountable sprin mnit, a removablebridge therefor, and a springguard pivotally mounted between the saidplates in position to guard thespring and provided with ineans forengageinent With one of the plates for being held in its closedposition.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK WEHINGER. Witnesses J. R. PUTNAM, J. C. GARRICK.

